Alt-Enter to proceed to the next element of an array

[User002]

How many times have you found yourself entering items in an array, typing merrily along, only to have to switch back to a mouse to click on the next element and type it it.  I suggest that Alt-Enter complete the current entry and move to the next array element.

This idea proposed using the Tab key, which collides with manual tool changes.  Shift-Enter was also proposed, but it collides with the ability to move to a new line in strings and to add another element to a enum/ring.

I propose using Alt-Enter to advance to the next array element:

[tomlawton]

How about down (and across, for 2-D) arrows? (Only when an array cell selected, of course...)

[User002]

There's some difficulty with the arrow keys moving both within a cell (consider multi-row string constants) and from cell to cell, but it could be made to work.  The disadvantage is that you lose your home-row or numpad position.

NI's Joe Silva advocates not reinventing the wheel, so is the correct solution to use Tab and Enter like in Excel?  (Only when an array cell is selected, of course...)  Community?

[Intaris]

I would strongly suggest shift-enter because this works for Enums and Case structures also.  It already has a precedent.

[User002]

Intaris, suppose you have an array of enums and the cursor in in entry mode on an array element.  Should Shift-Enter advance to the next array element or should it advance to a new Enum entry?  The same conflict exists for strings... go to the next element or to the next line in the string?

[GregSands]

My vote would be for Shift-Down which matches existing functionality for Tables and Listboxes (which have all of the Shift-Arrow keys acting), and could therefore add these extensions:

Shift-Up/Down: previous/next element

Shift-Left/Right: 2D movement

Ctrl-Shift-Arrow: scroll by a page at a time (depends on how many shown)

Shift-Insert: Insert Element Before (for 2D, maybe also Ctrl-Shift-Insert for columns)

Shift-Delete: Delete Element

[Intaris]

Alt and Enter requires two hands on my keyboard.  Shift enter requires only one.  Whichever shortcut is preferred, it should be doable with one hand only....

[Intaris]

Just to clarify, I donj't have super small hands, it's just that the right Alt on my Keyboard (Alt Gr) tends to map differently than the "noamrl" Alt key (On the left side).

If I stretch my hand as far as I can I can just touch the enter and Alt keys simultaneously but it's hardly ergonomic.

[Manzolli]

I liked GregS' suggestion. Kudos!

[David_L]

It doesn't matter to me what specific key combination would accomplish this, as long as it would be possible in some form.

[donkdonk]

I'm pretty sure I've seen similar ideas before...

Anyway, I fully agree that entering and manipulating data in arrays (and tables btw) is quite hard to do.

I really would like spreadsheet (excel) like behaviour where you can intuitively enter/paste/copy/insert data. Can be used for 1D and 2D arrays/tables. Copy/paste to/from excel would then also be a piece-of-cake.